Veterans Winning at Franchising: Doug Paul

As a kid in California, Doug Paul never dreamed that one day he’d own a spa. In fact, just a couple of years ago, Doug Paul never envisioned being a business owner, but at the end of this month, he’ll open doors to his first franchise: Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa.

At first glance this may seem like quite the career change for the 27-year Army veteran who’s spent the last decade working as a defense contractor for Lockheed Martin. But according to Paul, a lot more than one thinks translate from the military world to the franchising world.

“The military provided me with invaluable leadership skills and an absolute ‘can do’ attitude,” said Paul. “My experience in the Army positioned me with responsibilities where I had to work in a team environment to achieve a common goal, much like in franchising.”

After several overseas deployments and plenty of work travel, Paul sought a business concept that would allow him to be his own boss and kept him close to his Colorado Springs area home and family. He also wanted to own a company that served the large local military population that he’s a part of.

So how did he go about that? Paul encourages other veterans thinking about going the same route to work with a franchising consultant.

“There are many people and organizations out there who actively seek to help veterans open franchises to include franchise mentors who will often work for free. Take advantage of these services,” Paul said.

Paul looked into fitness and wellness concepts, but when he found Hand & Stone, things fell into place. He was drawn to the company because it provides an affordable spa experience, offers unique services and a customer-centric business model.

“The service, the pricing, the no long-term commitment memberships; Hand & Stone really empowers the customer and I love that,” Paul added.

This will be the first Hand & Stone in Colorado Springs location for the brand, but Paul hopes to continue expanding in the area. While jumping into the spa and wellness industry may seem like quite the departure for this veteran, to Paul, it seemed like a natural fit.

“Franchising is an opportunity to implement my life skills and pave the way for my financial freedom,” Paul said.

However, he certainly hasn’t given up his days of service just yet. He still serves in the National Guard as a colonel assisting with military and disaster preparedness.